The Rules to Break, 2nd Edition

RULE TO BREAK

“Good work speaks for itself”

When I was growing up, it was considered very bad manners to show anything other than modesty, all the time, even if it was false modesty. The idea was that people could see for themselves what your skills, talents, gifts, strengths, achievements and successes were, without you having to point it out to them.

Now on a social level, this is broadly a good principle, although I don’t hold with false modesty, and it’s perfectly possible to be politely humble without being meek. The alternative is being a braggart, and that’s never welcomed by the people around you.

However, when it comes to work, you just can’t assume that your bosses will notice what you’ve been up to, or realise that it was you who ...